It has been the practice of the Nuclear Directorate (ND) for some time to place its annual Operating Plan and its separate Strategic Plan on the ND website. In 2007 a new approach was adopted, leading to the development of a single joint document that sets out both medium term and longer term Directorate Objectives in a format that is intended to provide much greater clarity of intent. This may be downloaded in portable document format (PDF) using the link below:
It was always the intention to place this document into the public domain after a period of internal use. This was with a view to encouraging suggestions for the development of ND’s future strategies as part of the normal planning process, but it also reflects ND’s policy of greater and more effective stakeholder engagement. This is a significant change from previous practice that it is hoped will lead to a better common understanding of ND’s regulatory interests and priorities. The document has been in use internally since 1st April and is now published following the incorporation of a number of minor revisions to the original Version 1.0.
The intention is to maintain the Nuclear Programme Strategy and Operating Plan 2008 as a live plan, modified as required throughout the year by successive minor internal changes, with more significant changes being incorporated into major re-issues at key points in the planning cycle. These are likely to be in October and April, and these revised versions will in future be placed on the web-site as a matter of course.
To date, since the new approach had to dovetail into the existing planning cycle, most attention has been on medium term objectives. It is therefore intended to re-examine long term objectives in some detail in the months ahead.
It is intended to publish Version 2 of the plan in October 2008, following a three month comments period and parallel internal work to refine Directorate Objectives, in particular long term objectives.
Version 2 of the Nuclear Programme Strategy and Operating Plan 2008 will form the basis of ND’s internal planning processes over subsequent months and will lead to the release of Version 1 of the 2009 plan on 1 April 2009.
Interested parties are welcome to comment on version 1.4 of the plan or raise suggestions for future ND attention by 30 September 2008 by:
The Strategy Unit
Nuclear Directorate
Health and Safety Executive
4N.G
Redgrave Court
Bootle
Merseyside L20 7HS
Printed copies of the document will be sent to individuals upon request.
As well as gathering comments on the plan via the internet, where possible, a programme of direct discussions and meetings with key stakeholders will be held throughout July, August and September 2008. It is also intended to arrange a ‘future-proofing’ workshop on 16 September 2008 with interested parties to use HSE’s horizon scanning techniques to explore potential future issues. If you would like further details about this, please email nd.strategy@hse.gsi.gov.uk.
The email account will be checked on a routine basis by the ND strategy team and comments, plus any postal material, taken into account as new potential Directorate Objectives are developed. The ND Management Board approves any new objectives or significant changes to existing ones.
A summary of the ND response to comments will be placed on the website in November. Please let us know if your comments represent you as an individual, or your organisation and if you wish your comments to remain confidential.
We are particularly interested to know if:
Section 1 of the plan sets the scene and covers terminology. It also explains how the plan links to HSE’s expectations.
Section 2 of the plan is effectively a ‘strategic front end’. It sets out Directorate expectations in areas of greatest interest. Section 3 sets out how each Division will address the Directorate Objectives and also provides the context within which Divisions presently work. Given that the plan was developed initially for internal use it uses a number of acronyms that may not be familiar to readers. These are covered in the glossary on page 59 and in addition the document includes a number of footnotes that may be useful.
The document is very much a live one and ND has taken the decision to refine and improve it through usage rather than try to develop a perfect plan from the outset. Stakeholders’ views are important parts of this refinement process and comments on style and presentation are as welcome as comments on the substance.
If clarification is needed on any part of the plan then the Strategy Team will be happy to provide this through the contact details provided above.
Aim 1.2 is not being pursued in the short term as longer term intentions are still under consideration.
As well as firming up longer term objectives, internal ND work over the next few months will also concentrate on making existing medium objectives ‘SMART-er’ (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timed).
